Being There is a spectacular balancing act. For almost two hours, Writer
Jerzy Kosinski, Director Hal Ashby and Star Peter Sellers keep a
single, scorchingly witty joke floating miraculously through midair.
Though the joke ultimately crashes to earth too earlyabout 15 minutes
before the movie endsthe final letdown does not spoil what has gone
before. Here is a comedy that valiantly defies both gravity and the
latest Hollywood fashion. There isn't a single laugh in Being There
that owes anything to Animal House.